by Olivia Arran
“And if I went with you—”
“Claire, no!” Craig said, gripping my arm, his eyes never leaving Marcus.
“—would you let Adam go? He found me, saved me when I would have died from my wounds in the forest. Wounds your men inflicted…He’s no-one, just a concerned citizen who happened to be in the area.” I finished, wanting to hug the man in front of me close, to take away the sting of my words.
“He’s no-one,” Marcus sneered, stretching his arms out and rolling his head. “That’s why I found you panting in his arms, just waiting for the chance to jump on top of his cock and ride him like a whore? You? Miss Frigid? No…I think he’s someone.”
Adam’s hand fell away from my arm, and he casually unbuttoned his fly. “Enough with the talking, you’re starting to bore me.” He shucked out of his jeans, his tone matter-of-fact. “And, most importantly, you’ve hurt and insulted my girl. And for that alone, I’m going to kill you.”
His girl. I could have squealed with happiness, if we hadn’t been facing a half-crazed Alpha coyote.
Adam reached behind, gently pushing me back, his posture tense and ready.
And I got my first glimpse of Adam naked. From behind. And man, it was a Kodak moment. His ass was smooth, not a tan line or hair in sight, his buttocks sculpted with firm muscle. I wanted to drop to my knees for a nibble…no, I wanted to turn him around, so I could see—
“Challenge accepted,” Marcus drawled, bones crunching and muscles quivering as he shifted into the half change. Half man, half coyote — a form only the strongest could manage.
Fuck, we were screwed. Marcus wasn’t even giving Adam a fair chance. Maybe if we both attacked together?
Adam grunted his acknowledgment and started to shift, his jaw elongating into a wolf’s snout, his fingers sprouting claws. I waited for his spine to curl, for him to hunch over and take four legs, but his spine started to lengthen, the muscles thickening and spreading. Nearly half a foot taller, Adam stood before me — half man, half wolf, and the finest specimen I had ever seen.
Holy Mother of All! Who the hell was he? And what is he? Not a normal pack member, that’s for sure.
A flicker of fear flashed through Marcus’ eyes, gone in seconds as he flexed his claws. “This is a…surprise,” he murmured, before launching himself forward with a snarl.
***
Adam
I leapt forward, rushing to meet Marcus in the center of the small room, our claws clashing and scraping as we wrestled for dominance. I was taller than him, but even half shifted, he beat me on weight, his already bulky frame having thickened out to wield impressive strength. Or what I might have thought impressive, if I hadn’t been on the receiving end of it.
A beefy fist, the size of a dinner plate, smashed into my jaw, snapping my head back. Reaching out, I grabbed the fist, pulling sharply, hoping off-balance his unwieldy frame. He staggered, and with a growl I thrust my free hand up, into his chest, digging my claws into skin and muscle. He swung out wildly, and white hot pain exploded across my face, my vision blurring with blood.
A feminine scream echoed behind me. Claire! I glanced over my shoulder, panic gripping me as I saw her being held roughly by two of Marcus’ coyotes. She was a fighting like a spitfire, kicking and scratching with her extended claws.
“They’re just securing my prize,” Marcus snarled, taking advantage of my distraction and biting down into my exposed neck.
That fucking hurt! Enough of this, I decided, gathering my strength. Time to finish it — one way or another.
I gritted my teeth, and wrapping my hands around his neck, ripped his teeth out of my flesh, throwing him across the room. He smashed into an old bookcase, sending paperbacks flying. I stalked over to him, the wound in my neck oozing blood, forming warm sticky rivulets, and coating my chest.
Leaning in close, I grabbed his partially formed snout in my hand. “I am not a pup that you can bully,” I growled, my voice low. “I am not a weakling you can blackmail, or buy with drugs. I am the Alpha of the Colstone Pack, and that gorgeous woman over there is my true mate.”
Marcus stared at me, fear warring with hatred in his eyes. Hatred won. Forcing my hand away he snarled, “Fully shifted — to the death. You wolves think you’re all that, high and mighty above all other shifters. Well, let’s see who’s the real Alpha here.” Lurching to his feet, he stood wavering, his chest a ravaged mess from my earlier blow. Good. Equal playing ground.
My wolf snarled inside me, pawing, ready to finish the shift.
Nodding curtly, I stepped back, letting go of the mid-shift, allowing my wolf to rise fully to the surface. My spine arched as the change wrapped around me, forcing me to drop to four legs. Fur started to sprout, my skeleton realigning and clicking into place, taking on the form of my powerful wolf…
“Adam!”
Claire—? Glancing up I saw a half shifted paw slicing through the air toward my throat.
That cheating coyote bastard!
***
Claire
I scratched and shoved at the arms wrapped around me, holding me tight like a straight-jacket, watching in disbelief as Marcus screwed honor, yet again, and made no move to complete the shift. He was going to fucking kill him, while he was vulnerable! I couldn’t lose him, not when I had only just found him.
“Let go of me!” I hissed, jabbing my elbow viciously against a hard chest.
“Now, now, Claire. Play nice and we might reward you later,” my captor’s voice growled in my ear, grinding himself against the wound in my buttock, his voice high pitched and excited.
I bit my lip as agony shot through me, waves of nausea threatening to spill over. I swallowed — hard. Think, Claire! I screamed at myself. You can’t fight them, not like this…
Our mate…My wolf growled her reminded, spurring me on. Think…
He ground himself against me again, this time his excitement was unmissable, digging into my ass. I glanced to the side, the other pack member seemed enthralled with the fight, his eyes glazed and lips parted in sick fascination.
I knew what I had to do. And quick. I sent a fleeting prayer, then gritted my teeth.
Pressing back against him, I gyrated my hips, rubbing the length of him. The pain, like stabbing needles… I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from passing out. “Okay, I’ll play…” I whispered, trying my damnedest to sound seductive.
A low chuckle. “Good girl, that’s more like it, some survival instincts — means you might last a little longer than the last one…Couple more minutes and lover boy will be out of the way, and we’ll have all the time we need…”
“But, I need it now…we got interrupted, when y’all barged in, and I’m so turned on…and horny…” Can’t be sick…can’t be sick…longer than the last one—?
He grunted behind me, his breath moist and foul on my shoulder. One hand slipped to my breast, twisting the nipple tight, and pinching the bruised flesh.
Nearly…
I forced a moan, pushing my chest up, into his clammy hand.
“Fuck it…” he growled, and suddenly there was cool air on my buttocks, the sound of a fly being unzipped.
Nearly…I forced myself to wait, watching in horror as Adam started to drop to the ground, the change nearly complete.
Now! I twisted, my claws slashing out low, aiming for the crown jewels.
Tender flesh tore, like a dagger through butter, and he fell to the floor, his mouth open in a high pitched scream. Bullseye!
“Adam!” I screamed my warning, then threw myself through the air, aiming for Marcus.
***
Adam
Caught mid-shift, I tried to roll, my bones still snapping into place. It was like trying to wade through mud, gravity fighting me for every inch—
Then a vision of honey-colored skin and midnight black hair landed on Marcus’ back, grabbing him by the jaw and wrenching his neck. Claire! She was brutal, an almost feral creature, riding on top of the coyote, her teeth bared
and eyes flashing savagely, as she fought to hang on. She was glorious. Digging her claws deep into Marcus’ shoulders she clung on as he reared up, smashing her into the wall, his own claw tipped hands swiping and tearing at her exposed arms.
Red clouded my vision, and blind rage fueling my strength, I launched myself at the sniveling excuse for an Alpha, my shift completing mid-air. I snapped my powerful jaws at his throat, aiming for the kill — but the wily dog dodged out of the way at the last second, my teeth only grazing him.
I landed by Claire, who lay silent, not moving, a bloody mess on the ground. Was she—? I nudged her with my nose, my heart threatening to tear out of my chest.
Sharp pain erupted in my hind leg, teeth digging in and clamping down. Whirling round, I swiped at the coyote who was trying to use my leg as a chew toy, sending him flying into the corner. One of Marcus’ pack — but where was the leader?
I spied Marcus, hunched over on the ground, his shift nearly finished. It would be so easy to return the favor, and finish him off while he was vulnerable…I shook my furry head, a human gesture of my wolf’s disgust at the thought. There were rules that should be followed in a challenge, honor demanded it. Not that he had any honor to start with, I snorted with revulsion while pacing the floor, waiting for him to rise.
One eye on Marcus, the other pinning the other coyote in place, I anxiously checked Claire, tugging on the fragile mating bond, willing her to respond. Still nothing. Deja vu — and not the good kind. She was going to make it, she had to…
With a low growl, Marcus lumbered to his feet, his fur matted and oozing blood. She’d got him good, I noted, nudging her one more time, willing her to open her beautiful gray eyes and see the damage she’d inflicted.
I turned to face my opponent, my heart heavy and shoulders drooping. I would do this for her. Whether we both lived, or died — Marcus deserved to suffer for what he had done. A howl tore from my throat, carrying with it a warning, a threat…a death sentence.
Then, a mere whisper of sound, the slightest exhale of breath. She was alive! She was fucking alive! My heart swelled in my chest, energy pouring back into me, filling and lifting me. Fuck, yeah. Time to party!
***
Claire
Snarls and growls surrounded me, the thump of bodies crashing together, howls of pain and roars of fury. Adam! I had to open my eyes — I had to know, was he winning? Please, sweet Mother, let him be winning.
Millimeter by millimeter I peeled my eyelids open, the bright light blinding me momentarily, then the fuzziness started to clear, and a mess of legs, fur and teeth came into focus. A black wolf, large and muscular, pinned a scraggy brown coyote to the ground, their teeth snapping and scraping, each seeking the opportunity to strike a killing blow.
The wooden floor of the cabin was slick, smeared with the blood of both men, and as they rolled back and forth, snapping and snarling, their claws scored the surface, searching for a grip.
Movement caught my eye, a shape slinking under the window. Straining my eyes against the glare, I recognized the second coyote packmember. He was fully shifted and skirting around the fight, his walk slow and deliberately cautious. Was he coming for me? Or for Adam?
He turned to face his Alpha, his teeth bared in a feral approximation of a grin. Adam!
Please help me, I begged my wolf, who was buried deep inside, curled in a ball and licking her wounds. Our mate needs us…
With a mournful howl she lumbered to standing, shaking her head and rolling her shoulders. She rocked back on her feet…
Fuck, this was going to hurt…
Pain, like I’d never felt before, hit me, my muscles shrieking in agony as bones twisted and snapped. Shifting had never felt like this, like being mangled by a steamroller, but my human body was depleted, too weak to assist with the shift.
She roared through me, forcing my body to reform, none of the seamless give and take I was used to. Then I was on my paws, leaping through the air, claws extended at the shithead of a coyote that thought he would harm my mate.
And not a split second too late, I met him midair as he launched at the Alpha’s on the ground. Knocking him flying, we landed in a tangle of teeth and claws, me on top of his larger bulk. He blinked at me in surprise, the expression quickly wiped away and replaced with furious anger.
But I was way beyond pissed. Pissed that my parents had been taken from me. Pissed that I had been chased. Pissed that they had brought drugs into my pack. Pissed that my true mate — the man I was helplessly falling in love with — was fighting for his life. All because of these fucking coyotes and their fucking drugs!
Using a strength purely fueled by rage, I pinned him, swiping at his eyes, scoring open his skin, like they had opened mine. He howled, his face a bloody mess, and I lunged, my teeth digging into his throat, deeper, harder…then ripping with all I had—
He slumped beneath me, his lifeblood spilling out of the torn flesh, staining the floor.
One down…
I jumped off him, spinning to spot my mate. The wolf reared above Marcus, his large paws pummeling his opponent’s chest, stomach and head. Marcus was a bloody mess, unrecognizable and barely moving. My mate’s fur was matted with blood, sticky and gnarled…but he was alive. And he was winning.
I sunk to the floor, eyes not leaving the duo, and growled my encouragement.
Finish it…
Adam glanced at me, searing me with just one look, then throwing back his head, lunged at Marcus’ throat, ripping and tearing.
It was finally over. I looked at the big black wolf, who stood tall and proud over his fallen opponent. He was mine.
CHAPTER FIVE
Adam
I limped over to the beautiful black she-wolf, who sat crouched on the floor next to a fallen coyote. A coyote with his throat ripped out, I noted. She had done that? My heart swelled with pride — this was a woman who would look after her pack, through thick and thin — she would stand by me. And her pups, my mind unconsciously tacked on. Wow, what it would be like, to see her belly swell with the fruit of our love, to hold our babe in my arms, to kiss tiny hands…I gasped for breath, wanting the dream so much it physically hurt.
Reality check — but did she want me? An Alpha?
Calling the shift to me, I stretched my human arms, working out kinks and knots, then knelt down beside her. Stroking her white tipped fur, I looked into her eyes.
“It’s safe now, sweetheart. Come back to me…”
The air seemed to shimmer, then like liquid the fur melted away, revealing smooth, tanned skin, full rounded breasts and Claire’s ecstatic face.
“We did it!” she cried, launching herself at me, knocking me over onto the floor. Kisses rained down on my face as she gripped my head between her hands, laughing her joy to the world.
All I could think about was how soft she felt, her curves pressing against me, warming and enticing. “We certainly did,” I ground out. She seemed happy, but had she realized what this meant? Who I was? “Claire…” I started, but it came out a strangled moan as she wriggled against me, wrapping me in a hug.
“Hmmm,” she replied, snuggling closer.
“We need to talk…”
“Why? We’re mates — true mates. Marcus is dead…”
“Because—” A noise from the doorway cut me short. Grabbing Claire, I leapt to my feet, moving her safely behind me. “Who’s there?” I shouted, readying myself to another fight.
A young boy appeared in the opening, barely sixteen years old, if I had to guess. His eyes were round, like saucers, his skin nearly as pale as the surrounding snow. He was naked. Suspicious, I sniffed the air. Coyote.
I started forward, but Claire thrust out an arm.
“Adam, he’s scared stiff. Look at him,” she murmured.
He was shaking, though that could be from the cold.
“Who are you?” I barked out.
“Jason…sir.” He looked like he was about to pee his pants, if he’d had any on.
I gestured impatiently for him to continue.
“I—I was with them. He,” he glanced at the motionless body on the floor, visibly blanching, “was my Alpha…”
“He isn’t anymore—”
Claire nudged me. “Adam, not all the coyotes were bad. They had to follow orders, or Marcus…” Claire trailed off.
I took a deep breath, I could do without this, he wasn’t even my pack — but the boy looked lost, abandoned in the snow.
“Son, this is when you decide whether you want to become a good man, or a bad man,” I explained, pointing at Marcus with disgust. “You don’t answer to him anymore. The choice is yours. Drugs,” the boy flinched, “are bad news — they screw with your mind, and your body. Make you do all sorts of things you’ll regret, when you’re not high.”
“I know…he…we just didn’t have a choice!”
“Well, you do now. Go back to your pack, tell them that Marcus is dead. That they all have a choice. Fight for your pack, son. If you don’t…well, you’ll regret it. Now, get these bodies out of my house. You can bury them in the woods.”
Nodding, Jason darted across the room, heaving his packmate and Alpha onto his shoulders, before returning to the doorway. Turning to leave, he looked back over his shoulder. “And who do I say killed him? When they ask?” Jason asked, the shaking gone, purpose squaring his spine.
Shit. Here goes nothing.
“Adam Colstone, Alpha of the Colstone Pack.” Hearing Claire’s gasp, I winced inwardly. Not the way I had planned to break it to her. Though…maybe this was like a band-aid?
“Got it,” Jason said, nodding first to me, then Claire, his posture respectful.
“And, son…if those drugs cross into my land…I will hunt those responsible down. Do you understand me?”
Fear flashed across the young man’s face, before he turned and hightailed it back into the forest, carrying his load. He got it alright.